Project description:Cluster analysis using nonlinear dimensionality reduction ([tSNE]) revealed the differences in global gene expression profiles of healthy and injured striatum, and identified clusters of cells with unique genetic signatures in both ischemic brain and hemorrhagic brain. Genes with p-value < 0.05 and fold change ≥1.5 were regarded as differentially expressed genes (DEGs). For astrocytes, 135 DEGs were downregulated in hemorrhagic stroke compared to ischemic stroke. The secondary profiling of astrocytic subtypes yielded 10 different subtypes with distinct functional cell identities. For microglia, tSNE map indicated the distribution and proportion of microglia/macrophage were very similar in in the ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke models. We obtained 75 DEGs in total (hemorrhagic stroke vs. ischemic stroke, 54 were upregulated, 21 were downregulated) .
Project description:Although stroke is a discrete phenotype, it is the clinical culmination of several complex and interacting biological processes, precipitated by various genetic and environmental factors, thereby making ready analyses of its underlying mechanisms a challenge. However, the formulation of successful tailor-made prevention strategies for limiting the immense personal and societal burden of stroke in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is contingent on a better understanding of the predisposing risk factors for stroke in the region, which may not necessarily match the nature of stroke risk factors described among other people on other continents. Indeed, the underlying risk factors for stroke in SSA have hitherto not been comprehensively characterized, and currently there is a paucity of expertise, experience, and infrastructure in genomics and environmental research in SSA, to initiate and sustain such investigation. We seek to establish the Stroke Investigative Research and Education Network (SIREN) as a multidisciplinary collaborative research network of investigators in SSA and the United States collectively focused on exploring ways to promote a better understanding of the genetic and environmental risk factors for stroke among people of African ancestry. SIREN will evaluate unique contributors to stroke in SSA and compare these findings with those in a cohort of African American stroke survivors, all while simultaneously building sustainable capacities in phenomics, biobanking, genomics, biostatistics and bioinformatics for future high-level investigation of stroke and other vascular disease entities in SSA.
